Col. Wilfred B. Crutchfield and Lt. Col. Ivan E. O’Dell received full military honors at their burial in Arlington National Cemetery on Dec. 7—37 years after their T-33 Shooting Star crashed into Mount Rainier on a flight back to McChord AFB, Wash., on April 15, 1968. The wreckage was embedded in a glacier, which over time slowly melted as it moved down the mountain. In 2004, hikers discovered wreckage debris. The colonels were both Air Force veterans, with Crutchfield flying in three wars and O’Dell the recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross and Bronze Star.
While the Space Force is still making long-term plans to establish high-fidelity live and virtual test and training ranges in the coming years, officials say they're also working with operators to identify near-term gaps and quickly field capabilities to address them.
